Jon Batiste, the New Orleans-bred, New York-based musician, educator and humanitarian is somewhat of an enigma thanks to his diverse mix of influences. Born into a long lineage of Louisiana musicians, Batiste grew up playing percussion in his family's band before switching to piano when he was 11 years old. He went on to study at the Juilliard School and formed his band, Stay Human, soon after. Now he balances a demanding international performance schedule-which often includes his signature, impromptu 'love riot' street parades-with his roles as the band leader on CBS's "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", the Artistic Director At Large of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and occasional acting gigs, like playing himself on the HBO series "Treme" or his most recent role in director Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer.

Paul Mecurio is an Emmy and Peabody Award winner for his work on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." He has appeared in his own Comedy Central Special, starred in his own series on HBO, appeared on CBS's "The Late, Late Show," "Conan O'Brien," and "The Daily Show," and more. While working on Wall Street as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer , he was honing a second career writing and performing comedy and was hired by Jay Leno to write jokes for "The Tonight Show." Paul joined the writing team of "The Daily Show," and won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement In Writing In A Variety, Music or Comedy Program, along with a Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting . Paul is currently a staff member at "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert".

The program will be recorded in front of an intimate audience, and will also include previously announced guest, Sirius XM Host, talented actor & comedian, John Fugelsang.

NYC PodFest 2016 will run from Friday, May 20th at The Bell House in Brooklyn, and on Saturday, May 21th & Sunday, May 22nd at Cake Shop in Manhattan. The festival will spotlight twenty-one outstanding podcasts from around the country as part of its three-day celebration. The lineup will feature live podcast tapings, storytelling, musical entertainment, Excellence in Podcasting honorees, prize giveaways and more. The festival is delighted to be partnering with In-Kind Sponsors, Cinematcher, the app revolutionizing how people employ or gain employment within the entertainment industry, and Ox Verte, offering wholesome meals that nourish and nurture our communities. Tickets for the NYC PodFest are on sale now.

Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast! makes its second festival appearance. Comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried, a man Stephen King once called "a national treasure," along with co-host and fellow pop culture fanatic Frank Santopadre, welcome show business legend, Dick Cavett, for a funny, frenetic, fly-on-the-wall look at showbiz then and now (but mostly then.);

Think Again - a Big Think Podcast makes its live debut! Tony & Obie-winning playwright, Sarah Jones (Bridge & Tunnel) guests as host Jason Gots demonstrates that some of the best conversations happen when we're pushed outside of our comfort zones. Think Again is all about surprising smart people you've probably heard of with hand-picked gems from Big Think's interview archives on every imaginable subject;

NYC PODFEST has been celebrating the best in the podcasting scene since 2013. It provides podcast fans with a rare opportunity to set down their ear buds and watch a variety of their favorite podcasting personalities record their shows live. Its official selections feature some of the biggest names in popular culture, comedy, Broadway, film and television, along with spotlighting emerging talent. Year after year, NYC PodFest has delivered 1,000s of audience members with exclusive live podcast experiences in an intimate setting. @NYCPodFest

THISMYSHOW INDUSTRIES a live event and theatrical production company, was founded in 2010 by NYC PodFest Founder, Jeremy Wein. Aside from his own projects, Jeremy is an enthusiastic supporter of the comedy and storytelling communities. He serves as a Talent Booker for Kevin Allison's RISK! podcast and is a Co-Producer for Cheap Date Comedy at Union Hall. TMS Industries also produces the podcast ThisMyShow. @thismyshow